Major tourist routes in Russia include a travel around the
Golden Ring of ancient cities, cruises on the big rivers including the
Volga, and long journeys on the famous
Trans-Siberian Railway.
Diverse regions and ethnic cultures of Russia offer many different
foods and souvenirs, and show a great variety of traditions, including
Russian
banya, Tatar
Sabantuy, or Siberian
shamanist rituals. In 2013, Russia was visited by 33 million
tourists, making it the ninth-most visited country in the world and the seventh-most visited in Europe.
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Unless
exempt,
tourists to Russia are required to purchase a visa, in addition to
having a valid passport. Visas cannot be purchased at the border, and
once at the border, travellers must present other relevant documents.